Wednesday, February 26, 2014

The Gift After Divorce....

This soul-sister and big-hugger and grin-bearer has been a light in our home over the past few months. She's helped me better mother and has loved our family by sharing her gift of service.

We talk as she works.

And I boldly ask her,

"What happened? Do you mind if I ask the question?

What happened to your marriage?"

Because I've wondered for weeks now.

How can a woman like this, so captivating and beautiful,

be without a husband?

And she opens up and shares.

Her story spills. Her heart, sends chills down my arms

and my eyes overflow.

It ended after twenty-nine years together.

A choice between this world and Jesus and she chose boldly.

But what strikes me the deepest is how she talks about him now.

A man, who caused so much disappointment and hurt, has helped her to know Christ in a more intimate way.

She counts the end of that life as a gift.

A failed marriage that brought her kneeling at His cross has transformed her faith.

She's so much more alive now.

The bitterness has flown away. She's found blessing in the brokenness. I'm drawn in by her words. Inspired by her faithfulness. Witnessing her "light" each week begs me to want to know this sister more. To want to know Christ more.

I love you more now than on the day we got married....This morning as I'm in my normal rush my eye catches something fall to the floor. I scramble to find it in the dark, pick it up and toss it on the dresser...I return home to find it's the cross you gave me on our 1st wedding anniversary....Instead of rushing to put it away I hold it and reflect....You gave this to me as a young girl who knew nothing about God or sacrifice...I wore it with great reservation and was even disappointed that it wasn't a better gift for such a special day....We would've been married 25 years this month...an anniversary we never made only because we didn't have the tools to make our marriage work...In our 29 years together you lead me and prepared me to be the woman God had created me to be....You put me back in Gods hands well equipped for the man He has chosen for me next time....and about that gift you gave me on our 1st Anniversary? I'm forever grateful...and I thank God for you♥